A Soulful Heartbeat of Rhythm: Interview with Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra

When
I approached Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra (PAO) about doing an
interview I had a feeling it would take on a collective conversation.
PAO is more than just a group of people, and more than just a band.
PAO is a force of music passion that is a whole body and soul
experience. I had the honor of speaking with three of PAO's force
today about their passion.

Song
River: Time began with a rhythm or a melody?

Aldy:
Wow, didn’t know we we’re going to start with such a tough
question. That’s like the chicken or the egg conundrum. I’m
going to go with rhythm. I can see cavemen hitting sticks or
rocks to a beat.

Zach:
Time is rhythm, literally the distance between any two events is a
rhythm. All melody is contextual and socialized, but rhythm exists
outside of the human imagination. Melody requires rhythm to provide
context and meaning, a note by itself is not a melody. The stars will
still pulse with light and the seasons would still change without us
here to measure them. Expect a book from me someday, I've tried to
parse the iconic philosophy of this exact question for the last 15
years.

Camille:
As a singer, rhythm is everything to me, but melodies and song
are where time began. :-) A lullaby, a bird's song, water flowing
these are all melody.

SR:
When was PAO founded, and why?

Zach:
David Marquez started this whole narrative a few years ago, spending
a few years of jamming and false starts before he got a serious group
of people thinking realistically about Afrobeat.

SR:Where
does the heartbeat for PAO come from?

Camille:
I think the heartbeat of PAO is there because we are all so different
yet have the same vision, we thrive together for a common cause and
sound and groove.

SR:
How did all the members come together and is there a process which is
required for entering the circle of PAO?

Zach: Early
on, after Marquez had a sizable group together, we spent a fair
amount of time having discussions about music, politics, philosophy;
seeing what core values we share and how our personal agendas line up
with the spirit of Afrobeat as defined by Fela and Tony. At that
point it's about developing musical habits that honor the music and
seeing how new additions fit into that, both musically and
ideologically. We've built ourselves slowly and methodically, to the
point where there is now a foundational PAO identity which is
beyond the influence of any individual change to the lineup.

SR:
When it comes to creating a new song, how does the effort work? Is it
a collaboration and what part does each person bring?

Aldy:
It really depends on the piece, but for the most part it is a
collaboration. Sometimes a certain member will spark an idea
and we build on it. Other times a member can come with
something more fully composed and everyone can add a little spice.
Or we all just hang out in our rehearsal space and jam out a gem.

SR:
Where do you draw your sound from? What are your influences?

Aldy:
Fela Kuti and Tony Allen are the fathers of Afrobeat music. So
they definitely play a role in what we create. Jazz and
improvisation is also a defining character of our music, so we admire
musicians like Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, and Sun Ra.
Also, musicians that play the type of music we play today like
Antibalas and The Daktaris.

SR:
How much does the past, present and future merge itself into the
group as a whole?

Zach:
Because Afrobeat is such a unique fusion of African and Black
American music it demands an active engagement with history, be it
musical, political or social. To play Afrobeat without understanding
how it related to Fela social and political reality would be parody
or, at best, mere mimicry. That the same conditions exist today, both
in Nigeria and elsewhere, demands that we engage with the social
realities of the present. Lyrically Afrobeat is a descriptive genre,
able to highlight issues and present them in a focused manner. The
model for the future comes from improvisation, interpretation and
group interaction, as it is in group improvisation that you find
humans interacting honestly and collectively in the moment towards a
unified goal.

DANCE EVEN WHEN EVERYONE IS LOOKING

SR:
Performing seems to be your most comfortable place to be. It as if
all the lights come on and a unification of souls takes place.
Describe the magic from your point of view.

Aldy:
We all love what we do as musicians and as members of our
community. On stage performing and projecting our message is
where we want to be. The magic comes when our audience is
feeling what we are putting out there. We feed off of each
other to create this inexplicable feeling which can only happen when
we are one.

Zach:
There is no point to a funky beat if there is no one dancing. This is
a social music. The level of improvisation in our music guarantees
that no performance is ever the same.

Camille:
Performing is also more of where our music comes to life. We make a
funky groove and SEE them dance to it, we give a real and sincere
message and watch them UNDERSTAND it. It's not as powerful if
there is no audience to build with us in our music.

CRAYOLA'S

SR:
The words vibrant colour come to mind when listening and watching you
perform. I'm presenting you with a box of crayons what colors
are most important to you and why?

Zach:
Great art creates dynamic experiences. I bet you'll find that food
tastes better when you're listening to us as well.

Camille:
There are so many feelings and emotions that portray color. I could
never really give just one color to any of my feelings, they are so
vast. I do feel that sound has color as well, and when you change the
sound with your own improv and light, you change these colors as
well. They are ever-changing.

SR:
With the advent of download 'streaming' at .99 cents a song, has it
affected the dynamics of how you as a group create, produce and sell
your music?

Zach:
Yes and no. The Internet has changed how music moves through culture,
but in reality there was never an economic system in place to create
an industry around this music in the first place. What we used to
call Artistic Identity we now call branding. Luckily, with 16 people,
there are a few with some business and marketing savvy.

Aldy:
I don’t tend to think about it when writing or producing our
music. I try to focus on creating music that we are proud of
and stimulates us as musicians and music lovers.

SR:
Reading your lyrics over again. Each song carries a message with it.
What is it about music that brings the message out?

Aldy:
Our music is the vehicle for our message. Keeping it funky and
interesting is what makes it consumable for the listener.

Zach:
That inspiration comes from the political awareness of figures like
Fela, Nina Simone and John Coltrane, all of whom directly addressed
the issues of their time. If you don't honor that legacy then you
can't play the music, simple as that. Dishonest art is for
politicians and commercials.

Camille:
I fully agree with Zach, we are not afraid or feel threatened into a
mild, or ineffective music message.

SR:
Which songs carry the most relevance to who you are and your story?

Zach:
Each song has its own function, but as of now “Come with Us” is
the most overt distillation of our agenda.

Camille:
We also have some very powerful new material we are working on, very
directly related to our country's current state of protest and
discontent.

AGAINST ALL ODDS

SR:
What have been some of the important lessons you have learned as
you've been a part of PAO since its inception?

Zach:
Becoming a better artist requires becoming a better person, true
democracy takes work and time, and the people of Arizona are
desperate to dance.

Aldy:
Ha, totally! With so many of us, communication is key. It takes
a village, and we have one.

Camille:
I’ve learned that IT CAN BE DONE! Against all odds, we are fully
able to have a collective of like-minded people that have a common
goal. The revolution has begun.

SR: 2016
is unfolding... where are you going as a group?

Aldy:
To know where you’re going you have to realize from where you’ve
come. 2015 has been a great year for PAO! We have reached more
ears, hearts, and minds than ever before. We have also been
lucky enough to share the stage with some of our favorite artists
like The Roots, George Clinton, and Ozomatli and so many more.

That
being said we are still a relatively young band with me being one of
it’s newest members, so I’m stoked to see all we have done in a
short period of time. It shows that our hard work is justified
and people are into what we are doing. As the musical director
I will keep us on this path and am looking forward to writing more
music and sharing it with the masses

In
2016, PAO will release its first full length album! We are
looking at an early spring release. We are excited to say that
it will be released on vinyl and of course have digital mediums for
download. It was recorded live to tape with all 15 of us
playing together. No computers were on during the entire
recording process to try and capture the real and organic sound that
Afrobeat is. It is our goal to spread the message of love,
unity, collaboration, and celebration.

Zach:
Since we're already deep into a second album’s worth of tunes,
chances are we might have two LPs out or ready to release by this
time next year. Create. Collaborate. Celebrate.

Your BANGS! All Time Favorites

The land of Michigan has given the world a deluge of multiple necessities and sheer pleasures outside of what at one time was the auto industry mecca. Like its heart and soul of the blue collared working person that breeds an indelible, almost pioneer spirit, the music from here reflects its surroundings as once again this 26th state, added to the Union in January of 1837, is having a rebirth. The possibility of this land known warmly for its industrial explosion in the region of the Great Lakes is now standing at possibly a new dawn... the creation of being a strong contender for the music scene, much like Nashville is today.

With this in mind, the resonating rock and blues plus more yet to be revealed have begun with the band, Greta Van Fleet. They are poised and ready to bring the elements of rock n' roll up to the next level.

Recently bassist Sam Kiszka of Greta Van Fleet took some time out while they are on tour to give their …

Stryper
Brings Metal Stings with Their 30th Anniversary Album Celebration Tour: To
Hell With the Devil with
Song River

It
was a 'sweet' celebration Stryper brought with them everything a
30th-anniversary celebration should bring and then some! The strength
and heart as the yellow and black brought the hard rock attack back
to Arizona, as the Nile Theatre was packed with die hard fans that
came from some sort of faith background so it seemed and included a
wide age group range.

Stryper
really was the premiere heavy metal Christian rock band that came
onto the scene back in the 80's and pioneered the way and without a
doubt still brings the best of it all today. Still working with the
original lineup of vocalist Michael Sweet, drummer Robert Sweet,
bassist Timothy Gaines and guitarist Oz Fox hitting the
30th-anniversary release, 1986's album, To Hell With the Devil.
The album spoke to so many when it was released and today those fans
who fell in love with To Hell With the De…

Adam Ant at the Celebrity Theatre by H. Reavis How does one categorize a man who is one part rock star, several parts romantic highwayman, a dash of the peculiar gentleman, and a whole lot of British? One doesn’t. He must be christened and his name yelled in revered abandon: it’s Adam Ant. With a career spanning more than thirty years, the charismatic Adam has enjoyed chart success, awards (particularly the Q Music Icon Award in 2008), movie roles including Drop Dead Rock with Debbie Harry, and sold out concert performances worldwide. His music videos revolutionized the visual aid for musicians with storytelling in lieu of the standard promo. Drawing from his experience in art school his videos chronicled the adventures of his romantic pirate alter ego in “Stand and Deliver” and “Prince Charming.”

Currently in the throes of another tour called Anthems, which is a follow-up to his successful Kings of the Wild Frontier Tour, Adam, and the band are bringing his extensive singles catalog to b…

Whether it is the challenge of growing up too fast, playing in a band that he loves, flying solo, working on music projects, the loss of a loved one, or just kicking back at home musician/singer-songwriter Michael Sweet greets each day as if it were to be his first and his last. With an eagerness to say yes and come what may. His faith in God has carried him to say, "I am not a man of many regrets." Song River: Being
on tour for a band must be an almighty passion. What is it though
that most bands do when they have a 'day off' while they are out
touring? Michael Sweet: To
be honest, aside from interviews and social media, it is a day we
finally get to do our laundry! [laughed] I am so OCD about doing
laundry. You got to be the first one up if you want to get it done. Song River: Laundry
day has to be a good day! When you are on the road and away from home
what are some of the things you miss? Michael Sweet: Of
course I don't like being away from my fam…